Optical apparatus and method of operating the same



A. R. DENNINGTON.

OPTICAL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-2311919- 1,338,818. A Tatented May 4, 1920.

INVENTOR flrfhur R. Denningion ATTbRNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'ABTHUR R. DENNINGTON, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING-HOUSE LAMP COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

OPTICAL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented DLay 4, 1920.

Continuation of application Serial No. 98,824, filed May 20, 1916. Thisapplication filed October 23, 1919.

Serial No.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR R. DEN- NIXGTON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of East Orange, in the county of Essex and Stateof New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in OpticalApparatus and Methods of Operating the Same, of which the following is aspecification.

This application is a continuation of my prior application Serial No.98,824, filed May 20, 1916.

y invention relates to projection apparatus, and, in its broadestaspects, contemplates a method of and a means for the preadjustment of alight source with reference thereto and the ready renewal of the lightsource upon failure thereof.

In projection apparatus of the type used in the exhibition of motionpictures and stereopticon slides, it is essential that the source oflight be accurately positioned with respect to the lens system. If anincandescent lamp, of the standard commercial' type, constitutes thelight source, it is necessary to provide a method and a means. wherebythe filament thereof may be brought within, and moved along, the op.tical axis of the lens system in order to bring the lamp into accuratefocus.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide a special form of base and toso attach the same to the bulb of an incandescent lamp that the filamentshall be located in a predetermined position with respect to the base.This construction involves an elaborate and commercially impracticalscheme for attaching the lamp base to the bulb, and the lamp must beused in connection with a special form of socket which, in itself, is alimitation of the uses to which such a lamp may be put.

It is an object of my invention to provide means adapted to cooperatewith an incandescent lamp having an ordinary base, such as the so-calledEdison or screwthreaded base, that has been secured to the lamp bulb inaccordance with approved manufacturing methods conducive to quantityproduction.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for conveniently andeffectively prefocusing what may be termed a standard commercialincandescent lamp, such as just described. This means embodies theadditional feature of permitting a focused lamp to be removablyassociated, through the agency of a removable support, with an opticalsystem so that it may be removed and reinserted into the lens systemwithout destroying any previous adjustment the lamp may have received.This arrangement contemplates the renewal of a failed lamp by having aplurality of removable supports or bases, each adapted to permit theoptical adjustment of a lamp carried thereby, and the maintenance ofthis adjustment when the base is disassociated or removed from theoptical system.

A further object of the invention is the provision of two opticalsystems having certain corresponding elements and having their axescoincident, in the sense that the two systems are so related to eachother that any optical adjustment of a lamp in either system will beeffective in the other.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a perspective view of anincandescent electric lamp mounted upon a support constructed inaccordance with my present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective Viewshowing a device for obtaining a preliminary focusing adjustment of thelamp and support shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of aportion of a projection lantern showing the lamp and the holder of Fig.1 in position thereon.

Projection apparatus of the kind to which my present invention relateshas heretofore commonly involved the use of electric arcs as sources oflight. Constant attention on the part of the operator has been necessaryto maintain the luminous crater of the arc in the proper focal positionin the optical system. and for this reason, among others, incandescentlamps are to be preferred to arcs, since the lamp filament, when onceplaced in the proper position, will remain fixed during the life of thelamp. It is the general purpose of my present invention to facilitatethe initial adjustment and focusing of incandescent lamp filaments forthis use. An exceedingly fine adjustment is rethe light source from itsproper focal position will correspondingly decrease the illuminationupon the screen.

In carrying out my present invention, I

'mounted upon a carrier that may be readily inserted or removed from theoptical system. A universal adustment for the lamp is provided, and sueadjustment is preferably made independently of the projection apparatusby means .of a focusing device which is adapted to receive the lampsupport in a position corresponding to that which the support assumes inthe projection lantern. By means of an optical indicating device to bemore particularly described below, the position of the lamp filamentwith respect to the lamp support is accurately adjusted, so that, whenit is desired to make use of the lamp which has been so adjusted, it isnecessary merely to place the support in position in the lanternhousing, when the lamp filament will be found to be in accurate focus.Several interchangeable lamp holders are preferably provided, and lampsmay be focused thereon and kept in reserve until needed. When it isrequired -to replace the lamp that is in use, such replacement may bequickly made by merely removing the lamp holder from the housing andsubstituting one of the holders carrying a focused lamp.

. In accordance with this invention, there is provided a preliminaryfocusing apparatus suitable for use with, but independent of, a lenssystem such as used in the exhibition of motion pictures andstereopticon slides, said apparatus being substantially a duplicate ofparts of the mechanism associated with said lens system. The principalfeatures embodied in the focusing apparatus conslst of placing a lightsource upon a portable base, whose 'imageis to be projected upon ascreen, projecting the image of the light source upon the screen, andthen 10- catin the image within a defined area or spot y meansof anadjusting mechanism. Spec fically, this apparatus may comprise what 1s,in fact, a master frame by which a source of light, such as anincandescent lamp, may becorrectly adjusted before insertion 1nto aprojection apparatus. The

master frameis adapted to receive a supporting base fora lamp, said basebeing rovided with means whlch permits the adustment -of the lamp so asto bring its filament within, and movable along, an optical axis whichiscoincident with that of the projecting apparatus. The lamp-supportingbase is so constructed that it may be removed from the master frameafterthe lamp has been adjusted and easily and quickly fitted into theprojection apparatus, said lamp being conditioned to be in proper focuswith respect to said apparatus.

For a more particular description of my invention, reference may now behad to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing, which shows an incandescentlamp 1 provided with the usual form of a screw-threaded base and havinga concentrated helical filament 2 which, as shown, consists of fourvertical sections arranged in a single plane and spaced apart by adistance substantially equal to the diameter of one of the sections.This type of lamp is well adapted for projection purposes but it is, ofcourse, to be understood that my invention is not restricted to thisspecific kind of lamp. The

lamp 1 is mounted upon a support consisting of a base member 3, a plate4 which is transversely adjustable upon the base memher 3, and avertical sleeve 5 secured to the plate 1 and inclosing'a pin 6 which isslidable within the sleeve 5 and may be secured I provided with athumb-screw head by means of which the stop 10 may be fixed inadjustable position. The base member 3 also carries electric contactmembers 14. and a handle 15.

Two opposite edges of the base member 3 are rabbeted to fit slidinglyupon a threesided frame 16 shown in Fig. 2, and also to fit a similarframe 17 which forms a part of the projecting apparatus shown in Fig. 3.The frame 16 shown in Fig. 2 is carried by pins 18 that are secured to aplate 19 which is centrally pivoted upon a pin 20 attached to a basemember 21. On two adjacent sides of the frame 16 are secured rods 22 and23 which carry, at their upper ends, clips 24 adapted to receive mirrors25 which are preferably provided with cross lines 26 or other indicatingmarkings. Two stops 27 and 28 are secured to the frame 16, the stop 27being adapted to cooperate with the stop 10 of the lamp support shown inFig. 1 and the stop 28 being adapted to be turned to engage the rearside of the stop.

paratus, in which case the filament is adjusted in the exact positionwhere it is to be used.

Fig. 3 shows the structure already described in connection with Fig. 1in place upon a projection device which, in most respects, is of usualand ordinary construction.

As shown, this projection device consists of a shallow box-like base 30carrying two transverse rods 31 upon which is slidably mounted asupporting member 32 having depending sides 33 which are provided withperforations through which the rods 31 extend. This construction permitsthe base member 32 to be moved along the rods 31 from the positionshown, as is usual when the same apparatus is to be used for projectingmotion pictures and also for projecting stereopticon slides. Thesupporting member 32 carries a set of pins 34, upon which is mounted theframe 17 mentioned above as being adapted to receive the base member 3of the lamp holder shown in Fig. 1. The frame 17 is provided with stops35 and 36 which are similar in position and function to the stops 27 and28 shown in .Fig. ,2. The frame 17 also carries an optical systemconsisting of lenses 37 and a spherically curved mirror 38 which aremounted upon adjustable supports 39 and 40.

Electric current is supplied to the lamp through contact members 41 and42 secured to the rear end of the frame 17, as shown in Fig. 3, andcooperating with the contact members 11 attached to the plate 3 of thelamp holder. These contact members should be sufficiently long to allowfor the various positions which the plate 3 may take in the frame 17. inaccordance with the position of the stop 10.

In utilizing the apparatus which have shown and described, a lamp isplaced upon the lamp holder as shown in Fig. 1. and'the lamp holder isslipped upon the frame 16 of the focusing device shown in Fig. 2. Byproper manipulation of the thumb screws 7. 9 and 13'. the operatoradjusts the lamp filament to its proper position with reference to thecross lines on the mirrors 25. This adjustment may be effected by notingthe location or posit-ion. by means of the eye, of the image upon themirrors. The lamp is first turned until the plane of the filamentsections is parallel to one ofthe mirrors, preferably the one carried bythe support 22. and the vertical line on this mirror is preferablyalined with one section of the filament. The vertical adjustment of thefilament may be obtained by means of the pin 6 and .thumb screw 7. Bythis adjustment it is possible to bring the center of the imagesubstantially in alinement with the intersection of the cross lines onthe mirrors.

I Since the junction of the cross lines on the mirror corresponds to theaxis of the optical system with which the lamp is to be used,

this adjustment ofl'sets the filament just sufficiently to allow theimage of the filament from the spherical mirror to fill the spacesbetween the coil sections .and thus produce a virtually unbroken area ofuniform brilliancy facing the condenser lenses. After the lamp isadjusted with reference to one of the mirrors 25, the focusing frame isrotated upon its supporting pin and the filament is alined laterally byreference to the cross lines upon the other mirror 25, the lamp beingslightly rotated, if necessary, in order to bring the plane of thefilament into exact coincidence with the vertical cross line. Thislatter adjustment alines the filament edgewise with respect to thevertical line on the mirror carried by support 23. The reason forfocusing the lamp with the plane of its filament parallel to the mirror25 carried by support 22, is that. when the lamp holder is placed withinthe lens system shown in Fig. 3, the face of the filament is parallelwith the face of the mirror 38, thus giving more light than if thefilament was presented edgewise. The adjustments being completed, thethumb screws are all tightened to prevent relative movement between thelamp and the base plate 3, after which the lamp holder is removed from'the focusing device and may either be placed at once in its operativeposition, as shown in Fig. 3, or may be preserved until needed. Inobtaining the foregoing optical adjustments of the lamp it is obviousthat in certain instances all may not be found necessary on account ofthe accidental proper location, in a given plane, of the light center,due either to the construction of the lamp or prior adjustment of thesupport therefor.

In the broadest sense, my invention consists in the preliminaryadjustment of a light source such as an incandescent lamp with referenceto an optical system, irrespective of any method or means. The mostimportant feature in accomplishing this adjustment is through the agencyof a lamp supporting base that may readily be disassociated or removedfrom the optical system. By this means the necessary optical adjustmentof the lamp may be made by the trial method in the optical system ofwhich the lamp is a part thereof. without resorting to any special formof focusing device, or by the use of focusing mirrors mounted upon theprojection apparatus. But for the sake of convenience and uniformity ofresults obtained, it is preferable to use a standard or duplicateoptical system in adjusting the lamp. However, which-' ever method isemployed, the lamp may be removed and held in an adjusted position untilneeded.

The apparatus which I have shown and described does not require anymaterial alteration of the ordinary apparatus with which projectionlanterns are used. I prefer that the lantern housing be provided with aswinging door which may be held closed by a trigger catch under tensionof a spring, an arrangement which facilitates the removal andreplacement of burned-out lamps, though this particular construction is,of course, not essential.

It is to be understood that the structural details and method steps setforth herein may be modified in many respects without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention and that, therefore, no limitations areto be imposed upon my invention except such as are indicated in theappended claims.

[By the term standard commercial incandescent lamp, as used in theforegoing description and in certain of the claims, is meant a lamphaving an ordinary base and which has become so standardized as topermit quantity production, which inherently involves manufacturingvariations in the location of the light center. Because of thesevariations, it is impossible to use effectively such a lamp in anoptical system without providing adjustable means for focusing the same.Special lamp bases and methods of attaching the same have been proposedheretofore, but by the present invention it is possible to use a lampprovided with a screw-threaded or other common form of base attached inthe usual way, and this feature is intended to be expressed by the termin question.

Where two optical systems having their axes coincident are specified inthe claims, I wish to be understood that this is not meant in ageometrical sense, but is intended to describe two optical systems sorelated to each other that any optical adjustments made to a lamp withreference to one system will be effective in the other.

What is claimed is:

1. In an optical system, the combination of a based electricincandescent lamp of the concentrated-filament type, said lamp havinghad its base secured to the bulb with the usual manufacturing accuracy,and means for prefocusing the based lamp with reference to the system,said means and lamp being adapted for removal and reinsertion in thesystem without disturbing any optical adjustment previously made.

.2. .In an optical system, the combination of a based electricincandescent lamp of the concentrated filament type, said lamp havinghad its base secured to the bulb with the usual manufacturing accuracy,and means for prefocusing the based lamp with reference to the system,said means including a supporting device comprising an adjustable basemember carrying the lamp, said base member being removably associatedwith the said supporting device, whereby any optical adjustmentpreviously made by virtue of the said base member may be maintainedeffective independently of the system.

3. In an optical system, the combination of a based electricincandescent lamp of the concentrated filament type, said lamp havinghad its base secured to the bulb with the usual manufacturing, accuracy,and means for prefocusing the based lamp with referenceto the system,said means including a supporting device, and an independentlyadjustable base member carrying the lamp, said base member beingremovably associated with the supporting device, whereby any opticaladjustments previously made by virtue of said base member may bemaintained efi'ective independently of the system.

4. In an optical system, the combination of a based electricincandescent lamp of the concentrated filament type, said lamp havinghad its base secured to the bulb with the usual manufacturing accuracy,and a base member for supporting and prefocusing the based lamp withrespect to the system, said base member being adapted to maintaineffective, independent of the system, any optical adjustment the lampcarried thereon may have received.

5. In an optical system, the combination of a based electricincandescent lamp of the concentrated filament type, said lamp havinghad its base secured to the bulb with the usual manufacturing accuracy,a carrier for said based lamp comprising a supporting member, a basemember carrying said lamp adjustably secured to the said supportingmember, the base member being adapted to permit the removal andreinsertion of the lamp supported thereon without disturbing any opticaladjustment reviously made by virtue of said ase member.

6. In an optical system. the combination of a based electricincandescent lamp, and means for carrying and preadjusting the same,said means being removably associated with the system and adapted topreserve any preadjustment given the lamp supported on and obtained byvirtue of said means. whereby the lamp may be removed and reinserted inthe optical system without disturbing any adjustment previously made.

'7. In an optical system, the combination of a based incandescent lamp,and means for carrying and preadjusting the based lamp with reference tothe system, said means including separable and independently adjustableparts, whereby an adjusted lamp may be removably associated with theprojection system and remain conditioned to effectively cooperatetherewith.

8. In an optical system, the combination of a based electricincandescent lamp, means of a based electric incandescent lamp of thefor carrying and prefocusing the based lamp with reference to thesystem, said means comprising a removable focusing mechanism, saidmechanism including a plurality of parts each capable of adjustment in adifferent plane and, if removed, adapted to maintain any previousadjustment given the lamp carried thereon and made by virtue thereof.

9. In an optical system, the combination concentrated filament type,said lamp having had its base secured to the bulb with the usualmanufacturing accuracy, a mechanism for prefocusing the based lamp withreference to the system, the said mechanism being provided with aremovable base member carrying said lamp, said base member beingcomprised of a plurality of separate parts, one of said parts beingadjustable in a vertical plane, another in a horizontal plane, and athird in a profile plane, whereby the lamp carried by the base membermay be maintained optically adjusted independent of the system.

10. In an optical system, the combination of a based electricincandescentlamp of the concentrated filament type, said lamp having hadits base secured to the bulb with the usual manufacturing accuracy, amechanism for prefocusing the based lamp with reference to the system,the said mechanism being provided with a removable base member carryingsaid lamp, "said base member including a plurality of separate partseach being independently adjustable with respect to one another, wherebythe lamp carried by the base member may be maintained optically adjustedindependently ofthe system.

11. In an optical system, the combination of a based electricincandescent lamp of the concentrated filament type, said lamp havinghad its base secured to the bulb with the usual manufacturing accuracy,a mechanism for prefocusing the based lamp with reference to the system,the said mechanism being provided with a removable base member carryingsaid lamp, said base member being comprised of a plurality of parts,each being capable of adjustment and adapted to cooperate with oneanother, so

as to permit the bringing of the light center,

of the lamp within and move it along the optical axis, whereby the lampcarried by said base member may be maintained optically adjustedindependently of the system.

12. In an optical system, the combination of a based incandescent lampof the concentrated filament type. said lamp having had its base securedto the bulb with the usual manufacturing accuracy, and supporting meansfor optically positioning the based lamp, said means including a lampcarrying base member, said base member being removably associated withthe supporting means and adapted to maintain effective any opticaladjustment given the lamp carried thereby, whereby the lamp may beremoved and reinserted at convenience without disturbing any opticaladjustment previously made.

13. In an optical system, the combination of a based electricincandescent lamp of the concentrated-filament type, said lamp havinghad its base secured to the bulb with the usual manufacturing accuracy,and means for carrying and adjusting the said based lamp with respect tothe system, said means being adapted to maintain effective any opticaladjustment which may be given the lamp carried thereby regardless ofwhether the lamp is retained in, or removed from, the optical system.14. In an optical system, the combination of a based electricincandescent lamp of the concentrated-filament type, said lamp having.had its base secured to the bulb with the usual manufacturing accuracy,and means for adjusting the based lamp with respect to the system, saidmeans including a removable lamp carrying base member adapted tomaintain effective any optical adjustment given the lamp carriedthereon, whereby the lamp may be removed and reinserted into the opticalsystem without disturbing any previous adjustments it may have received.

15. In an optical system, the combination of an incandescent electriclamp, a removable support therefor comprising a base member, a carrierfor the light source mounted upon the said base member, means foradjusting the said carrier in two directions with respect to the saidbase member, and means for determining the movement of the said basemember in a third direction.

'16. A support for an incandescent electric lamp or other source oflight comprising a base member, a supporting member adjustably securedto the said base member, a carrier for the light source adj ustablymounted upon the said supporting member, and an adjustable stop attachedto. and extending beyond, the said base member.

17. A support for an incandescent electric lamp or othersource of lightcomprising a base member, a supporting member secured to the said basemember and adapted to be slidingly adjusted thereon, a carrier for thelight source mounted upon the said supporting member and adjustableperpendicularly with respect to the said base member, and an adjustablestop attached to and extending beyond the saidbase member.

18. A support for an incandescent electric lamp or other source of lightcomprising a base member, a supporting member secured to the said basemember and adapted to be slidingly adjusted thereon, a carrier for thelight source mounted upon the said supporting member and adjustableperpendicularly with respect to the said base'member, and an'adjustablestop for limiting the movement of the said base member in a directionperpendicular to the directions of adjustment of the said supportingmember and the said light carrier.

19. An optical device comprising a frame for supporting an opticalsystem of lenses,

mirrors or the like, in combination with means for supporting a lightsource in effective relation to the said optical system comprising abase plate slidably mounted upon the said frame, a stationary stop uponthe said frame, and a cooperating adjustable stop upon the said baseplate for limmirrors or the like, in combination with means ,forsupporting a light source in effective relation to the said opticalsystem comprising a base plate slidably mounted upon the said frame, astationary stop upon the said frame and a cooperating adjustable stopupon said base plate for limiting the sliding movement of thesaid plate,a carrier for a light 'source'mounted upon the said base plate, meansfor adjusting the.

said light support in two directions perpendicular to the direction ofsliding movement of the said base member, electric contact members fixedto the said frame, and contact members carried by the said base plateand adapted to engage the said firstnamed contact members. j

21. The method of preliminarily adjusting an incandescent lamp withrespect to an optical system, that consists in using two optical systemshaving their axes coincident and certain elements duplicate, ad'ustingthe lamp in one of these systems an using it in the other,thisadjustment being accomplished by mechanism whichv is adjustableinone of the .optical systems and adapted to be received in the otherwithout further adjustment.

22. The method of preliminarily adjusting an incandescent lamp withrespect to an optical system, that consists in two optical systemshaving their axes coincident and certain elements duplicate, adjust ingthe lamp in one of these systems and using it in the other, thisadjustment being accomplished by mechanism which is adjustable in one ofthe optical systems and adapted to be received in the other withoutfurther adjustment, said mechanism including a removable member forsupporting the lamp.

ing an incandescent lamp with respect to an optical system, thatconsists in two optical systems having their-axes coincident and certainelements duplicate, adjusting the lamp in one of these systems and using1 it in the other, this adjustment being accomplished by mechanism whichis adjustable in one of the optical systems and adapted to be receivedin the other wlthout further adjustment, said mechanism including meanswhich permit the adjustment of'the",

lamp in each of three planes.

24. The method of expediting the replacement, in a projection system, ofa failed incandescent lamp of the concenother lamp similar thereto upona remojvable base adapted to be incorporated into the optical systemwith the lamp carriedthereon in its preadjusted condition.

In testimony'whereof, I have hereunto. subscribed'my name thistwenty-first day of October, 1919.

ARTHUR R. DENNINGTON.

23. The method or preliminarily adjust- I

